
The Kamloops-Thompson school district says its savings plan that will put unqualified educational assistants into classrooms is necessary to fill positions that are in dire need, despite the objections of a local union.
CUPE 3500, which represents more than 900 school support workers in the district, called the plan "an attack" on qualified workers and a threat to quality student supports.
As part of further savings measures SD73 plans to implement to avoid cost overruns in the wake of a $2-million accounting error, the district said it will hire “responsible adults” to cover support staff absences.
SD73 said the strategy was implemented due to challenges recruiting certified education assistants, which has been seen across the province, and to cut down on relief costs, which have doubled in the last five years.
Local district parent advisory council chair Bonnie McBride told Castanet the budget cuts were "concerning" and have students feeling the pinch in classrooms. The Kamloops-Thompson Teachers’ Association backed recently approved saving strategies, saying it was needed and preferable to permanent staff reductions.
Need to fill vacancies
SD73 superintendent Rhonda Nixon said the district agreed certified educational assistants are the optimal employees to do the job, but SD73 is facing hiring challenges and need its relief roster filled.
She said in a typical day, about 30 to 40 per cent of CEA roles are unfilled due to sick leave or approved leave.
“Our perspective is that the certified educational assistants who are in the classroom will benefit from having at least somebody else to be able to support, albeit more minimally,” Nixon said.
SD73 said the would-be hires will be required to complete the 20-hour Responsible Adult course, which teaches participants skills to create “a safe and nurturing environment” for kids, and Level One First Aid.
CUPE 3500 President Dawn Armstrong said CEAs attend one to two years of schooling and are required to complete a practicum before being hired by the district. She said the requirements for responsible adults are inadequate.
“I understand the the district is trying to fill absences, this is not the way to do it,” Armstrong said.
“These cheap, temporary solutions are only going to produce complications that we probably don't even see yet.”
A recruitment tool?
While SD73 is actively recruiting to fill CEA positions, Nixon said efforts haven’t yielded enough hires to fill its relief roster.
Nixon has referred to the would-be hires as “not yet certified education assistants.” She hopes the plan might turn into a pipeline of new CEAs.
“If we can get some individuals who are willing and excited to work with kids who need a support, perhaps it is an opportunity for us to recruit these individuals to get their certification,” she said.
The district said it plans for responsible adult job postings to be communicated early next week, and hiring is expected to start in late January or early February. Nixon said responsible adults hired won’t replace CEAs.
While the board of education amended the strategy to its budget reduction plan, Nixon said it wouldn’t actually save the school district money and the goal is to create more support for overworked CEAs.
'Not a solution’
Armstrong said CEAs require more hours in a day to do their jobs, better working conditions and higher wages. She said many work second or third jobs in order to make a living wage.
She said if those problems were addressed, CEAs wouldn’t face burn out, injuries in the work place or go on medical leave. She said the issues have been brought to SD73 for years.
“Throwing responsible adults into the school is not going to attract more people to the job,” Armstrong said. “If they actually address those, that would solve their problem.”
Nixon said SD73 is open to adopting proposed strategies to ease pressures on CEAs.
“We’ll continue to work with [Armstrong] and all of our employees in the school,” Nixon said.
She said the board of education was “completely behind” advocating for CEAs to earn higher wages, but said it was a public employee group decision.
“I’m disappointed that CUPE is upset about it, that's never been the goal,” Nixon said.
“But we have a strong belief that at least there'll be support for certified education assistants who are, for sure, the most qualified people in the school to support complex needs kids.”